Cricket Match Report | New Zealand beat England by five wickets in ODI

England 175 (36 overs) | New Zealand 177-5 (33.1 overs)

England’s familiar frailties surfaced once more as their build-up to the Ashes was dented by a five-wicket defeat to New Zealand in the second one-day international in Hamilton.

Author | Sophie T

Bowled out for a modest 175 with 14 overs unused, the tourists failed to impose themselves before the hosts eased to victory to wrap up the series with a match to spare.

Jamie Overton provided the lone burst of defiance, clattering 42 from 28 balls to lift an innings that had drifted into anxiety. The Test quartet of Jamie Smith, Joe Root, Jacob Bethell and Harry Brook all made starts yet none stayed long enough to construct anything of real heft.

Blair Tickner led New Zealand’s disciplined attack with 4 for 34, supported smartly by seamer Nathan Smith, as England faltered once more at the top and through the middle order.

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A flicker of optimism arrived when Jofra Archer trapped Will Young lbw in the opening over, the fast bowler briefly threatening to spark something more. Kane Williamson resisted for 21 before Overton removed him, and Archer later accounted for Rachin Ravindra after a composed 54 and then Michael Bracewell down the leg side.

Yet those moments felt like interruptions rather than turning points. Daryl Mitchell’s assured unbeaten 56, joined by captain Mitchell Santner with an enterprising 34 not out, guided New Zealand to their target with more than 100 balls in hand, leaving England searching for answers once again.

The performance of Jofra Archer was a definite positive

3️⃣ for 2️⃣3️⃣ from his 🔟 overs 🔥

Jofra at his very best 💥 pic.twitter.com/RgGgveBvWf

— England Cricket (@englandcricket) October 29, 2025

England’s total of 175 never threatened to match the demands of the venue, landing well below the average first-innings score of 244 in Hamilton. It was more than a century short of the typical winning mark when batting first, a figure that sits closer to 287.

With such a slim target to defend, England required the kind of discipline and penetration that gives bowlers a chance in tight contests. Jofra Archer offered exactly that across a superb 10-over return in his first appearance of the winter.

READ MORE | Latest news, stories and discussion points ahead of the 25/26 Ashes series.

The 30-year-old struck almost immediately, trapping Will Young in front with a full, skidding delivery that set the tone. From that moment, New Zealand’s batters were regularly forced to fend and flinch as Archer blended hostility with precision, his short balls biting into the pitch and hurrying through.

His pace was sharp too, averaging 87.4mph and peaking at 90.2mph, a reminder of the threat he provides when fully fit. While his later wickets of Rachin Ravindra, caught in the deep, and Michael Bracewell, glancing behind, contained an element of fortune, they stemmed from the pressure he built relentlessly.

Archer delivered 51 dot balls in total, his highest in a completed 10-over spell in one-day internationals, a statistic that underlined his enduring ability to discomfort opponents even when the broader contest slips away.